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Polly Higgins
Polly Higgins is Newsday.com's Lifestyle and Entertainment editor, covering home and garden, food, restaurants, pets, travel and entertainment. Her education includes a journalism degree from Indiana University and a masters in Media Arts from the University of Arizona. She called Arizona home for a number of years, working for both the Arizona Daily Star and (now shuttered) Tucson Citizen. In her spare time, Higgins can be found walking Otto the beagle in her Brooklyn neighborhood, logging miles on her running shoes and watching reruns of "Dallas."
Friendliest and most unfriendly countries for tourists
Photo credit: AP
It might be time to rethink that stereotype of the French being grumpy to tourists. A new report from the World Economic Forum ranks Bolivia as the least friendly country for travelers, at least in terms local attitudes toward visitors.
In the Travel & Tourism Competitiveness Report 2013, the landlocked South American country gets the cranky honor just above Venezuela and Russia.
The...
Read more »Revel Atlantic City to debut HQ Beach Club
Photo credit: Handout
Grab your swimsuit and your dancing shoes, because the team at Revel has big plans for Atlantic City this summer.
Though the luxe hotel and casino, home to hot spot HQ Nightclub, is in the midst of filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy less than a year after its opening, Angel Management Group and EMM Group are not slowing down.
Taking cues from Las Vegas and Mykonos, they're taking the party...
Read more »Cancun ups security as spring breakers flood in
College spring break season started Friday, and thousands more sun-seeking partiers are headed to Cancun, Mexico, than last year.
Some major tourist agencies are expecting as many as 43,000 spring break visitors, according to Cancun tourism director Maximo Garcia Rocha, and it's not just the bikini contests and swim-up bars drawing them in.
Cancun officials say many spring breakers are...
Read more »American Airlines-US Airways merger will not affect frequent flier miles, AA says
Photo credit: Charles Eckert
The consolidation of airline companies continued Thursday with the announcement of a merger between American Airlines and US Airways. The $11 billion deal means that the resultant super airline, to be called American Airlines, will be the world's largest.
What this means on the ground to frequent fliers, according to a letter sent to AAdvantage members, are separately maintained programs.
The...
Read more »Foursquare culls best-of city lists from billions of user check-ins
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With thousands of restaurants to choose from in NYC — 24,000, according to the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene — narrowing down that spot for a special date or brunch with friends can feel a bit overwhelming. Add to that where to grab a drink or see the sights and the poor brain is in quite a quandary.
Foursquare has attempted to squash the chatter on social media, and in our heads,...
Read more »Southwest Airlines offers early boarding option for a fee
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If you would like to board a Southwest flight early, you can. You just need to decide if it's worth $40.
Tuesday the Dallas-based Southwest Airlines began allowing customers the option of paying the fee to be part of the "A" boarding group, ahead of the two others, B and C.
Posting the details on its website, the carrier outlined the rules: The option is available only at the...
Read more »Sag Harbor a finalist for America's Happiest Seaside Town
Photo credit: Erin Geismar
Sag Harbor could be America's Happiest Seaside Town. It's up to you.
Coastal Living Magazine has narrowed the field to 10 finalists and is asking readers to vote online through Feb. 28. You can vote hourly, if you're that passionate, and look for the winner of America's Happiest Seaside Town 2013 to be named in June.
To determine the finalists, Coastal Living considered every place it's...
Read more »Long Island wineries rank among the world's top 10
Photo credit: Newsday / J. Conrad Williams Jr.
Long Island is ranked alongside travel destinations including Puglia, Italy, and Rioja, Spain. At least as far as wine lovers are concerned.
On Tuesday Wine Enthusiast magazine named its 10 Best Wine Travel Destinations for 2013, and the North and South Forks of LI are on the list. The publication says its editors selected the “year’s best in wine, food and cultural adventure.”
Also...
Read more »Emma Watson at JFK, stopped for looking too young to fly alone, report says
Photo credit: Getty Images
Apparently not all of us are are obsessed with celebrity culture.
According the the New York Daily News, "Harry Potter" actress Emma Watson was stopped at JFK airport by customs officials for being too young to fly alone.
On Dec. 22, Watson tweeted two messages:
Passport control: 'Unaccompanied minor?' Me: ''Sorry?' Passport control: 'Where is ur guardian?' Me: 'I'm 22!!!!!!!'
The...
Read more »Wintry holiday weather leads to prime skiing in Vermont
Photo credit: AP
If the holidays were any indication, 2013 is going to be a great winter for skiing in Vermont.
Bill Stenger, president of Jay Peak in northern Vermont, said his resort was already in good shape between Christmas and New Year's Day, with more than a foot of natural snow and excellent weather for making more. Stenger said a big storm hitting the state made for superb conditions as the New Year's...
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